Pneumatic balancing rope-tension attachment.



No. 719,370. PATENTED JAN. 27, 1903.

H. W. RANK.

PNEUMATIC BALANCING ROPE TENSION ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED Jun: 29,1901.

x0 MODEL.

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HARRY W. BANK, OF MCDONALD, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATlG BALANCING ROPE-TENSION ATTACHMENT.

:PECIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent N o.'719,370, datedJanuary 27, 1903.

Application filed June 29, 1901.

T0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY TV. RANK,a citizen of the United States,residing at McDonald, in the county of Washington and State ofPennsylvania, have invented an Improved Pneumatic Balancing Rope-TensionAttachment, of which the following is a specification.

In well-drilling apparatus as usually constructed the rope to which thedrill is attached is subject to a sudden and severe strain at each liftor rise of thereciprocating or oscillating part to which the rope isconnected. In the case of a Manila or hemp rope there is considerablespring or elasticity and stretch; but wire ropes have no elasticity, yettheir use is a practical necessity in wells of great depth.

It is the object of my invention to provide an elastic tensionattachment for such ropes, so that the lift may be easy at the same timethat the momentum of the tools in the downward movement permits a harderblow to be struck than if the attachment were a rigid one, and to thisend I employ a pneumatic apparatus constructed and arranged to operateas hereinafter described, and shown in accompanying drawings, in whichmy invention is shown applied to awalking-beam and other parts such asare usually employed in well-drilling.

Figure 1 is a' side view of the entire apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detailView, partly sectional, illustrating the connection of the clamps ortemper-screw with other parts.

The walking-beam A is supported upon a saddle a, which is pivoted uponthe top of a samson-post B and is oscillated vertically in the usual waybya suitable crank connec tion C with a bull-wheel D.

E indicates a post,commonly called deadmans post, which is setvertically under one portion of the walking-beam A and is used as ameans of safety for the drillers or men working under the beam in casethe latter should break at the center. There is nothing new in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts thus far described.

F indicates a cylinder arranged and secured upon the walking-beam A inline therewith, and a piston G (shown in dotted lines) is adapted towork therein and provided with a Serial No. 66,559. (No model.)

rod II, having a clamp I at its outer end. The rope or chain J issecured by the clamp I and passes over a pulley a, journaled on theadjacent end of the walking-beam,and is attached to the head of atemper-screw. K, which is applied in the usual way and provided with aclamp L for holding the ropes that extend down in the well and isconnected with the drill. Air is forced into the cylinder F and retainedtherein under due pressure. The piston G, acting against the clasticcushion thus formed, provides a corresponding elastic tension for thewire rope J, which allows the latter to yield more or less whensubjected to the sudden lifting strain incident to the oscillation ofthe walkingbeam A. In other words, the rope J yields or gives in placeof having a dead or solid pull whenever the end of the walking-beam israised. In other words, the temper-screw is allowed to work up and downas required by the variation of strain on the rope J, and yet thetemper-screw may be adjusted and manipulated as usual.

While I show the preferred arrangement of a pneumatic cylinder F withreference to the beam, it is obvious that changes maybe made to a degreewithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

As a means for supplying air to the cylinder F, I employ a pump M, anair-reservoir N, and a pipe 0. The pumpis operated by suitableconnection with the walking-beam A, which is effected in this instanceby a connecting-rod P, jointed'at its respective ends to the pumppiston-rod Q and a clevis R, secured to the beam A. The compressed-airreservoirN is provided with a safety-valve n and a gage n. The pipe 0 isjointed at 0 and provided with an extension, which is attached to thecylinder F. It is apparent that the joint 0 must be the center ofoscillation of the cylinder F. By the means described any requireddegree of pressure may be maintained in the cylinder F, and thispressure is varied according to various conditions.

I do not limit myself to air as the medium for applying elastic tension,but intend to employ steam or any other gaseous fluid that may suit thepurpose.

A weight S is shown suspended by rope P, passing over pulleys p on thewalking-beam A and connected at 'l" with the temper-screw K forbalancing the temper-screw.

What I claim is 1. In a well-drilling apparatus, the combination with adrill-rope, and an oscillating beam, of a pneumatic cylinder on saidbeam, a piston sliding in said cylinder and having a rod,means forconnection with a drillrope,the cylinder being filled with air on thefront side of the piston, whereby the latter reciprocates as the beamoscillates and the drill-rope slackens and tightens, as shown anddescribed.

2. In a Well-drilling apparatus, the combination with the drill-rope anda beam pivoted and adapted to oscillate vertically, of a pneumaticcylinder secured upon and oscillating with the beam and having a piston,a rope for attachment of a drilling device, an airpump having. aslidable piston, a pipe connecting said pump with the front end of theaforesaid cylinder, an oscillating beam supporting the pneumaticcylinder, and means connecting the beam with the piston of the pump, forreciprocating said piston coincidently with the oscillation of the beamand the up-and-down movement of the drilling attachment proper, as shownand described.

i. In a well-drilling apparatus, the combination with the oscillatingbeam and drillrope, of a pneumatic cylinder mounted on said beam andhaving a piston, means for connecting the latter with said rope, anairpump, means whereby to operate the pump and a pipe connecting thelatter with the cylinder, the said pipe beingjointed coincidently withthe beam-pivot, substantially as shown and described.

HARRY w. RANK.

Witnesses:

E. S. ALTON, \V. T. STRAIN.

